Head coach Tom Donohue says: Intensity will determine how far the Warriors go
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers READY TO MAKE A MOVE- Adam Kolodney of Westlake prepares to drive against a Rio Mesa defender in a game earlier this season. The Warriors, according to Westlake head coach Tom Donohue, can be a formidable team if they maintain high energy and find the open man.

For Tom Donohue, the formula for success is simple.

"If we play hard and we shoot well, then we are very, very tough," said Donohue, Westlake High School boys' basketball coach. "If we don't bring energy, it seems like we can lose to anybody."

So far the Warriors, at 9-6 overall and 1-2 in the Marmonte League, have been playing sound basketball. They haven't lost a game by more than seven points, and their two league setbacks were on the road, to Agoura and Thousand Oaks.

Senior captain and four-year starting point guard Matt Mazarei leads Westlake, which prides itself on a running offensive attack and strong shooting from beyond the 3-point arc.

Mazarei is flanked in the backcourt by shooting guard Kyle Olandt, who's scored over 20 points in several recent tournament games. Adam Kolodney has been rebounding and shooting well at small forward. Alec Hess, at 6 feet 5 and 180 pounds, is averaging about seven blocks per game at the four spot, according to Donohue. Hess, the only junior in the starting lineup, played on the JV squad last season.

Donohue is waiting for senior center Andreas Svennefiord, the fifth starter, to find his groove.

"He's had a tough go shooting the ball," the head coach said of Svennefiord, the tallest player on the roster at 6 feet 6. "He's getting some easy looks, they're just not dropping. We expect that to change as we get in the middle of league. He's a great defensive rebounder and he makes great outlet passes."

Part of the problem for the Westlake centers is the Warriors run constantly, something not necessarily conducive to strong offensive play in the post.

"Our game is drive, draw (the defense in) and dish, and run the fast break," Donohue said. "We like to run it at every opportunity. We go full-speed ahead for 32 minutes a game. We love the uptempo game, but that hurts our inside game a little bit."

The Warriors, whose roster is composed entirely of seniors and juniors, have solid depth, especially at guard. Senior T.J. Hennessy can play shooting guard or small forward, and played varsity ball in 2006-07. From the JV team, Bo Bliss and Ryan Porush provide additional depth at guard. Matt Devine, a 6-foot-5 senior, backs up Svennefiord at center and provides help on the boards. Donohue also likes junior Max Bard's versatility.

"He can play the two, three, four or five positions," the coach said of the 6-foot-5 Bard. "He can shoot and drive. He just needs to be a little bit better defensively."

Westlake eagerly anticipates the return of Matt Reinig, who's been out most of the season with a sprained wrist. Donohue expects the 6foot, 170pound senior to return soon.

However, the coach doesn't know if Matt Seyhun, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound senior forward, will play at all in his last year of eligibility. After an excellent summer, Seyhun suffered a torn rotator cuff, and Donohue is holding out hope that Seyhun, who expects to play volleyball in the spring, could return for the postseason. Seyhun is weighing his options on whether or not to undergo surgery, according to Donohue.

After starting the season 6-1, the Warriors dropped three straight games. Westlake has bounced back, winning three of its last five, with victories by 22, 35 and 28 points in that stretch. The Warriors defeated Newbury Park 64-42 at home on Dec. 20 for its first Marmonte League victory.

Mazarei thinks Westlake is on the brink of something great. The four-year starter hopes the team's defining moment, or at least the spark for a season-ending surge, starts with its next game, at Simi Valley on Mon., Jan. 7.

"This is a big game coming up," Mazarei said. "If we beat them, then our season should be fine. That should be our turning point."

Even though a 1-2 start in the Marmonte is less than ideal, the senior point guard remains upbeat.

"In my opinion, I think we are the best team (in the Marmonte League)," Mazarei said. "We just have to play harder. We need to improve on and get more fast breaks and get more ball movement and our shots need to start falling."